Garland Hanger

ABSTRACT

A hanger for hanging of garlands and the like around a doorway can be removably placed within a doorway, where it is secured by pressure and friction, thereby avoiding any damage to the door or door frame. The hanger includes outward extensions that extend outward of the door frame to permit hanging of garlands and the like on either side of the doorway. The hanger may also include one or more central extensions for supporting the garlands or the like centrally above the doorway so that the garland or the like does not hang downward too much, thus keeping the doorway clear. The hanger can also be a part of the decoration around the doorway. Various configurations of the hanger may fit different widths of door frames, including a wide range of door frame widths, and features of the hanger provide additional flexibility for different door configurations including sidelights.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of prior application Ser. No.12/333,434, filed Dec. 12, 2008, and claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 61/235,533 filed Aug. 20, 2009, whichapplications are incorporated herein by reference for all they disclose.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to devices for decorating around a door,and more particularly to an innovative hanger for temporarily hangingdecorations such as garlands around a door without causing damage to thedoor or door frame.

2. Background and Related Art

Existing methods and mechanisms for hanging decorations such as garlandson or around doors exhibit significant problems. Some hangers requirescrews, nails, or other fasteners to be used to attach the hangers tothe door frame. When a decorating season is over, the hangers aretypically removed, leaving unsightly holes in the door frame, which canalso serve as locations for insects to live and/or cause additionaldamage. Other methods of hanging rely on adhesives such as tape tosecure decorations around the door. Such methods are often unsightlywhile the decorations are displayed, and may leave an adhesive residuebehind that further mars the appearance of the door or door frame afterthe decorative season.

Some existing decorative hangers rely on an over-the-door system, wherea portion of the hanger extends over the top of the door. Such hangershave several problems. For instance, some decorations are difficult touse when attached to the door, as they then move with the door as thedoor is opened and shut, and can become trapped between the door andframe as the door is shut or are generally in the way of someone tryingto pass through the doorway. Additionally, such hangers have anon-negligible thickness which is trapped between the door and the doorframe when the door is closed. The space between the door and the doorframe is often occupied by weather stripping or other material toprevent air leaks, insect entry, etc. when the door is closed. Thepresence of the door hanger in this space may make the door difficult toclose, may cause the weather stripping to fail to perform as expected,and may even permanently damage the weather stripping, the door, or thedoor frame. Some doors simply cannot accept such hangers.

Other door-frame mounting devices fail to properly position garlands andthe like around the door frame without partially occupying or blockingthe doorway for those using the doorway. Still other devices require amounting that would prevent a door from closing. While such devices workwell in doorless doorways, they do not work well on an exterior doorwaywhere the door is typically left in a closed position for safetyreasons. Therefore, existing devices for hanging garlands and the likearound doors fail to adequately provide a mechanism for hanging garlandsand other decorations around a doorway without causing damage to thedoor or door frame.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Implementation of the invention provides a hanger for hanging ofgarlands and the like around a doorway. The hanger can be removablyplaced within a doorway, where it is secured by pressure and friction,thereby avoiding any damage to the door or door frame. The hangerincludes outward extensions that extend outward of the door frame topermit hanging of garlands and the like on either side of the doorway.The hanger may also include one or more central supports or extensionsfor supporting the garlands or the like centrally above the doorway sothat the garland or the like does not hang downward too much, thuskeeping the doorway clear.

Implementation of the invention may be provided using a large number ofmaterials and decorative forms, whereby the garland hanger can also be apart of the decoration around the doorway. Additionally, implementationsof the invention may be provided to fit different widths of door frames,and some implementations may be provided capable of fitting a wide rangeof door frame widths. The garland hanger is provided with features thatprevent slipping of the garland hanger and/or downward rotation of thegarland hanger that would negatively impact the look and functionalityof the garland hanger.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the present invention will become more fullyapparent from the following description and appended claims, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that thesedrawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are,therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the inventionwill be described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a conceptualization of an embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in place ina doorway with the door closed;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a closer perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 froma different angle;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a garlandhanger;

FIG. 6 shows a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of an outer portion of the embodiment ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 9 shows a different perspective view of the outer portion of theembodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 illustrates adjustments that may be made to a lateral supportmember according to some embodiments;

FIG. 11 shows a close-up side view of a bracket and friction pad for usewith the embodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 12 shows an exploded view of components of the outer portion of theembodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 13 shows a top view of a portion of an adjustment mechanism of theembodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 14 illustrates adjusting a length of an embodiment of a centralsupport member;

FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of a central portion of the embodimentof FIG. 5;

FIG. 16 shows a bottom perspective view of the central portion;

FIG. 17 shows a top perspective view of the central portion;

FIG. 18 shows one manner for placing an embodiment of a garland hangerin a doorway;

FIG. 19 shows various configurations of embodiments of garland hangersfor use with various door configurations;

FIG. 20 shows one embodiment of a longer lateral extension member; and

FIGS. 21-27 show the configurations of FIG. 19 in more detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A description of embodiments of the present invention will now be givenwith reference to the Figures. It is expected that the present inventionmay take many other forms and shapes, hence the following disclosure isintended to be illustrative and not limiting, and the scope of theinvention should be determined by reference to the appended claims.

Embodiments of the invention provide a hanger for hanging of garlandsand the like around a doorway. The hanger can be removably placed withina doorway, where it is secured by pressure and friction, therebyavoiding any damage to the door or door frame. The hanger includesoutward extensions that extend outward of the door frame to permithanging of garlands and the like on either side of the doorway. Thehanger may also include one or more central supports or extensions forsupporting the garlands or the like centrally above the doorway so thatthe garland or the like does not hang downward too much, thus keepingthe doorway clear. While the term “garland hanger” is used herein torefer to embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that a widerange of decorations or other items may be hung from the garland hanger,including garlands, Christmas lights, Halloween decorations such asspider webs, decorative banners, floral arrangements and otherplant-based hanging decorations, etc.

Embodiments of the invention may be provided using a large number ofmaterials and decorative forms, including rod/wrought iron and similarlooks, whereby the garland hanger can also be a part of the decorationaround the doorway. Additionally, embodiments of the invention may beprovided to fit different widths of door frames, and some embodimentsmay be provided capable of fitting a wide range of door frame widths.The garland hanger is provided with features that prevent slipping ofthe garland hanger and/or downward rotation of the garland hanger thatwould negatively impact the look and functionality of the garlandhanger. These features of embodiments of the invention will becomeclearer with reference to the appended Figures, which are incorporatedinto this description for all they disclose.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention thatillustrates certain features of embodiments of the invention. FIG. 1shows an illustrative garland hanger 10. The garland hanger 10 includesa central support member 12 configured to extend between the sides of adoor frame. At each end of the central support member 12 is a frictionalmember 14 that is configured to exert an outwardly-directed force and tofrictionally engage an inwardly-directed surface of the door frame so asto hold the garland hanger 10 in place against the forces of gravitypulling downward on the garland hanger 10 and on any decorations hangingon the garland hanger 10. Therefore, the frictional members 14 areattached to the central support member 12 in such a way as to permitsecure frictional engagement between the frictional members 14 and thedoor jambs. For example, the frictional members 14 may be movable withinsome range and may be biased or include a compressible or flexibleelement that permits compression of the frictional members 14 or somecomponent thereof while the garland hanger 10 is placed, whereupon thecompression/flexion may be released to hold the garland hanger 10 inplace. Alternatively, the garland hanger 10 may be placed in a desiredlocation and an adjustment mechanism actuated to expand the distancebetween outer surfaces of the respective frictional members 14 until thegarland hanger 10 is secured in place.

The frictional mechanism for securing the garland hanger 10 isadvantageous in that it causes no damage to the door or doorframe/jambs, and can easily be removed and reused at will. To furtherprevent damage, the portions of the frictional mechanism that contactthe door frame may be made of or covered with a non-damaging frictionalmaterial, such as any such material now known in the art or laterinvented. No holes are ever made in the door, the door jambs, or anysurrounding structure.

The garland hanger 10 also includes structures to facilitate hanging ofgarland or other decorations around the door frame. For example, theillustrated embodiment includes two lateral extension members 16 thatextend from the central support member 12 so as to extend beyond theinner edges of the door frame/jambs. The lateral extension members 16also extend forward from the central support member 12 so as not to beco-linear with the central support member 12 or at least so as not to beco-linear with door-frame-contacting portions of the frictional members14. This configuration permits the lateral extension members 16 to beused to support garland or other decorations on either side of thedoorway.

The lateral extension members 16 may also serve an additional purpose:they may prevent unwanted rotation about the axis of the central supportmember 12 or the axis of the frictional members 14. For example, whenthe garland hanger 10 is placed in a doorway, the lateral supportmembers 16 may be placed so as to be immediately adjacent to or touchingthe face of the door jambs/frame. Then, when any downward force isapplied to the lateral extension members 16 (such as by gravity or someother force pulling downward on any hung decorations), the force wouldtend to rotate the garland hanger 10 downward about the axis of the linebetween the frictional members 14 (and, if co-linear, the centralsupport member 12). However, as the garland hanger 10 starts to rotatedownward, the lateral extension members 16 engage the edges of the doorjambs/frame, thereby preventing the rotation (or, at least, any furtherrotation beyond a certain point).

The illustrated garland hanger 10 also includes a central decorativesupport 18. This central decorative support 18 is optional in someembodiments, and other embodiments may include multiple spaced-apartcentral decorative supports 18, depending on the desired appearance ofthe garland hanger 10 and/or the desired decoration-supportingcharacteristics of the garland hanger 10. If present, the centraldecorative support 18 provides an additional supporting location forsupporting garlands or other decorations, such as for decorations thatextend up along one side of the doorway to the lateral extension member16 on that side, over the top of the doorway via the central decorativesupport(s) 18 to the opposite lateral extension member 16 and down theopposite side of the doorway. The central decorative support 18 may takeany of a varied number of shapes, and in some configurations may serveas a handle for carrying the garland hanger 10.

FIG. 2 illustrates a garland hanger 10 similar to the embodiment of FIG.1 placed within a doorway having a door 20 and adjacent door jambs 22(only an upper portion of the doorway is shown). As may be seen fromFIG. 2, the garland hanger 10 may be placed near the top of the doorway,with the lateral extension members 16 and the central decorativesupport(s) 18, if any, protruding forward past the jambs 22. As may beappreciated from this view, decorations may be hung around the sides andtop of the doorway without impeding the flow of traffic through thedoorway.

As discussed above, while the garland hanger 10 functionally supportsgarlands or other decorations around a doorway, the garland hanger 10itself may be decorative. Therefore, the garland hanger 10 may bemanufactured from decorative rod iron, wrought iron, or other solid orhollow materials having any desired decorative appearance while stillproviding the functionality discussed herein. As may be appreciated,versions of the garland hanger 10 may be manufactured to support varyingloads, and may therefore be manufactured of varying strengths ofmaterials. Versions of the garland hanger 10 designed to support heavierloads of decorations may be manufactured from stronger materials thanversions designed only to support lighter loads. Additionally, someversions of the garland hanger 10 may have portions of higher strength(such as the central support member 12 and frictional members 14) andportions of lower strength (such as the lateral extension members 16 andthe central decorative support(s) 18). Many decorative garlands or otherdecorations are relatively light and therefore do not exert much forceon the garland hanger 10. Garland hangers 10 for such decorations can bepartially or entirely constructed from light-weight tubular materials,including tubular steel, tubular aluminum, and even tubular plastics.Some such materials, including plastics, may be manufactured to resembledecorative iron.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate embodiment of the garland hanger 10 configuredfor decorative as well as functional purposes. This embodiment may bemanufactured from several pieces of bar iron bent in the formillustrated or from other materials designed to resemble decorative ironand connected at the midpoint of the garland hanger 10, whichcorresponds to the central decorative support 18. As may be seen fromFIG. 3, this embodiment of the garland hanger 10 is aestheticallypleasing and itself may serve as a decorative element for the doorway.

FIG. 4 provides a close-up perspective view of the outer portion of thegarland hanger 10, from the opposite side of the view of FIG. 3. ThisFigure illustrates additional features of some embodiments of thegarland hanger 10. Specifically, the frictional member 14 of thisembodiment incorporates several features that enhance certain versionsof the garland hanger 10. As may be seen from FIG. 4, the frictionalmember 14 includes a bracket 24 that is attached to the central supportmember 12 of the garland hanger 10 at a bracket support hole 26 (such asusing a screw, bolt, nesting tabbed extension, etc.). In someembodiments, the bracket 24 is attached to the central support member attwo or more bracket support holes 26 or using some other securing means,including a sliding frictional connection. The plurality of bracketsupport holes 26 provide substantial adjustability to the garland hanger10 so that the garland hanger 10 can be adjusted to fit a wide varietyof door frame widths. Although not specifically illustrated in FIG. 4,bracket support holes 26 may be provided for each end of the garlandhanger 10, and the brackets 24 may be moved independently for maximumadjustability.

The brackets 24 include a pair of thumb screws 28 connected to frictionpads 30 that engage the jambs of the doorway. The thumb screws 28provide further adjustability of the garland hanger 10 and also serve toensure proper outward force on the friction pads 30 to frictionallysecure placement of the garland hanger. Additionally, as this version ofthe garland hanger 10 is secured at a pair of locations on each side(i.e. the two friction pads 30), the garland hanger 10 is securedagainst unwanted rotation of the garland hanger out of the desiredposition in the doorway.

As may be appreciated from FIGS. 3 and 4, the garland- or otherdecoration-supporting features of the garland hanger 10 may be providedin part by decorative elements of the garland hanger 10. Specifically,the illustrated garland hanger 10 includes curled portions of thedecorative bar iron at the ends of the lateral extension members 16 andat the central decorative support 18. These features are not onlyfunctional but enhance the decorative features of the garland hanger 10itself.

Although use of the garland hanger 10 should become largely apparentfrom the above description, a description of use of the garland hanger10 is provided below. If the garland hanger 10 is adjustable to fitdifferent size doorways, the garland hanger is first adjusted to anapproximate size. If the garland hanger 10 is a type that is compressedto fit in the doorway, the proper size is typically one where thedistance between the outer surfaces of the frictional members 14 isslightly larger than the doorway's jamb-to-jamb space. If the garlandhanger 10 is a type that includes thumb screws 28 or another sizingmechanism that can be adjusted with the garland hanger 10 in place, theproper size is typically one where the distance between the outersurfaces of the frictional members 14 is slightly smaller than thedoorway's jamb-to-jamb space. Once the garland hanger 10 is adjusted tofit the doorway, the garland hanger 10 is placed in the doorway.

To place a compressible-type garland hanger 10, one of the frictionalmembers 14 is placed against one jamb of the doorway, with the adjoininglateral extension member 16 at a height approximating the desired finalheight. The compressible element(s) of the garland hanger 10 and/orfrictional member 14 on that side is then compressed by pushing on thegarland hanger 10 in the direction of the door jamb already in contactwith the garland hanger 10. Meanwhile, the user positions the garlandhanger 10 so the other frictional member 14 is adjacent the other doorjamb. As the compressible element(s) is/are compressed, the user is ableto position the second frictional member 14 at a proper location on theother door jamb, such as by sliding the frictional member 14 into thedoorway between the jambs and/or sliding the frictional member upward(or downward) from a position where the garland hanger 10 is at an angleto a position where the garland hanger 10 is substantially horizontal.The final placement may be made by placing force on the garland hanger10 (and thereby compressing one or more compressible elements)alternatively to one side of the doorway or the other, and movingslightly (or as necessary) the frictional member 14 opposite from thedirection of the user-applied force.

To place a post-placement adjustable-type garland hanger 10, the userpositions the garland hanger 10 substantially horizontally at thedesired height within the doorway (e.g. between the jambs). The userthen actuates the thumb screws 28 or other sizing/adjusting elements,possibly one at a time, until enough friction is applied by the frictionpads 30 or other portion of the frictional members 14 to hold thegarland hanger 10 in place. Before the full frictional force is appliedvia the adjustment mechanism such as the thumb screws 28, the user canoften fine tune the placement of the garland hanger 10. Thereafter, thefull frictional force can be applied, such as by fully tightening thethumb screws.

Once the garland hanger 10 is fully and securely in place, the user candecorate around the door by hanging garland or other decorations on thegarland hanger 10. The decorations and garland hanger 10 can be removedat the end of a decorative season using a process essentially thereverse of that described above (although unless the garland hanger 10is to be used for a doorway of a different size, it likely need not beresized prior to storage until needed again).

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of thegarland hanger 10, while FIGS. 6 and 7 show top and bottom views,respectively. This embodiment utilizes many of the features discussedabove, with some variations and/or additional features. As can be seenin FIGS. 5-7, the overall configuration/appearance of the embodiment ofthe garland hanger 10 of these FIGS. 5-7 is similar to the appearance ofthe embodiment of FIG. 3, and relative placement of the central supportmember 12, the frictional members 14, the lateral extension members 16,and the central decorative support 18 are similar to the embodimentsdiscussed above. In this embodiment, the frictional members 14 areenlarged in comparison to the previously-discussed embodiments.Additionally, the central decorative support 18 has been divided intotwo portions. This division of the central decorative support 18 hasbeen made in conjunction with the incorporation of a central hinge 32.The central hinge 32 permits the garland hanger 10 to be folded slightlyand/or disassembled at the central decorative support 18 for storagepurposes, greatly reducing the total length of the garland hanger 10 forstorage.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show perspective views of an outer portion of theembodiment of the garland hanger 10 shown in FIGS. 5-7, showing featuresin relation to the frictional member 14 and the lateral extension member16. In these Figures, it may be seen that the lateral extension member16 may be removably attached to the remainder of the garland hanger atan attachment point 34. A user-friendly attachment mechanism, such as ascrew, bolt, thumb screw, or the like, may be used at the attachmentpoint 34, so that the user can readily remove the lateral extensionmember 16 for a variety of purposes, including storage of the garlandhanger 10, adjustment of the lateral extension member 16, or replacementof the lateral extension member 16 with a version having a differentprofile or extension length, such as that illustrated in and discussedwith respect to FIG. 17. The user may use the attachment point 34 toplace or adjust the lateral extension member 16 at or to a differentangle if necessary to clear brick, stone or other materials surroundingthe doorway, as is illustrated in FIG. 10. This allows the garlandhanger 10 to be readily converted and configured for a wide variety ofdoorway openings, sidelights, and the like, as is discussed below withreference to FIGS. 19 and 21-27.

As may also be seen in FIGS. 9 and 11, the friction pad 30 of thisembodiment extends above support portions of the friction member 14.While the support portions may be made of metal or some other strongmaterial, the friction pad 30 may be made of a non-damaging/non-markingmaterial that will not damage the door frame. By having the friction pad30 extend above the support portions, the friction pad 30 ensures thatan upper portion of the door frame is not damaged by use of the garlandhanger 10.

FIG. 11 shows a close-up side view of the embodiment of the bracket 24and friction pad 30 as used with the embodiment of the garland hanger 10shown in FIG. 5. As discussed above, the friction pad 30 of thisembodiment is enlarged in comparison to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-4.The bracket includes a bracket hinge 34 that permits some up-and-down(or side-to-side, depending on the orientation of the bracket hinge 34)movement of the bracket 24 and friction pad 30 as the garland hanger 10is being positioned in the doorway. Additional ability for some movement(lateral and/or up-and-down) or play of the bracket 24 may be providedby a connecting element 36 that serves to connect elements of the outerportion (such as the bracket 24 and the lateral extension member 16) tothe central support member 12. The play or movement of the bracket 24and the friction pad 30 may make it easier for some users to positionthe garland hanger 10 in the doorway.

FIG. 12 shows an exploded view of components of the outer portion of theillustrated embodiment of the garland hanger 10. This Figure shows howthe outer portion may be constructed to provide flexibility to thegarland hanger 10 and to provide interchangeable parts. For example,where a longer lateral extension member 50, such as that shown in FIG.20, is desired, the lateral extension member 16 depicted in FIG. 11 maybe removed and the longer lateral extension member 50 may be usedinstead. Alternatively, a shorter lateral extension member (not shown)may replace the lateral extension member 16 of FIG. 11. The user mayeven elect not to use a lateral extension member 16 if desired in tightquarters or for other reasons.

The exploded view of FIG. 12 also shows additional features that allowresizing of the garland hanger 10 for different-sized doorways. Thecentral support member 12 in this embodiment includes an outer tubularmember 38 and a nested inner tubular member 40. Both may be made ofdecorative materials having similar appearances so as not to draw theeye to the joint between these two members. The inner tubular member 40may be extended to a desirable length and then secured with a securingmeans 42, such as a thumb screw, bolt, screw, pin, etc., as shown inFIG. 14. The securing means 42 may engage the inner tubular member 40using a frictional engagement, but preferably through a physicalengagement (e.g. a series of holes in the inner tubular member 40, asshown in more detail in FIGS. 13-14).

For more flexibility in adjustment sizes of the garland hanger 10, holesmay be provided in the inner tubular member 40 in offset rows as shownin the top enlarged view of FIG. 13, allowing finer adjustment of eachinner tubular member 40 with respect to each outer tubular member 38,and thus of the length of the garland hanger 10. Thus, a wide range ofdoor sizes may be accommodated by a single garland hanger 10. Howeverand in addition, embodiments of the garland hanger 10 may also beprovided in two or more configurations having different availableminimum lengths for use in doorway widths of sizes more variable thancould be accommodated by a single size of garland hanger 10 alone.

In FIG. 12, a spring 44 is shown that functions with a slot 46 and bolton the connecting element 36 to provide an outwardly-directed force onthe frictional member 14 (e.g. bracket 24 and friction pad 30) over aselected range of compression of the two frictional members 14. Thispermits final positioning of the garland hanger 10 and frictionalsecuring of the garland hanger 10 as discussed above.

FIGS. 15-17 show views of a central portion of the garland hanger 10,showing the central hinge 32 in more detail. The central hinge 32permits folding of the garland hanger 10 somewhat, in approximately thedirection of the arrows shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. This folding actionfacilitates placement of the garland hanger 10 in the doorway as shownin FIG. 18 by sizing the garland hanger 10 slightly larger than thedoorway (as discussed above), bending the garland hanger 10 somewhat atthe central hinge 32 (thereby reducing the total length), placing thegarland hanger in position, as shown in the upper portion of FIG. 18,and then pressing upward near the central hinge to straighten thegarland hanger 10, as shown in the lower portion of FIG. 18.

The straightening of the garland hanger 10 engages the frictionalmembers 14 with the door jamb, compresses the springs 44 andfrictionally secures the garland hanger 10 in place. The central hinge32 includes a hinge securing screw 48 (or some other mechanism ormechanisms), as shown in FIG. 16, that serves to lock the central hinge32 in the open, fully-extended position. This ensures that the garlandhanger 10 does not collapse during use. When the garland hanger 10 is tobe stored, the hinge securing screw 48 is loosened or removed, allowingthe garland hanger 10 to fold at the central hinge 32 for removal fromthe door, and then the hinge pin of the central hinge 32 may be removedto separate the garland hanger 10 into two pieces approximately half thetotal length of the garland hanger 10.

FIG. 19 shows various configurations of embodiments of the garlandhanger 10 for use with various door configurations. These configurationsmay be assumed by providing garland hangers 10 having different lengthsof central support members 12 as discussed previously and/or bymodifying the length of the central support members 12 in the mannerdiscussed herein (e.g. by adjusting the connection of the outer tubularmembers 38 and the inner tubular members 40). In addition, one or bothof the lateral extension members 16 may be exchanged for a longerlateral extension member 50 of any decorative design, such as shown inFIG. 20, which permits the hanging of garlands or other decorations at aposition more lateral from the point where the frictional member 14contacts the door frame.

Thus, FIG. 19 shows how different embodiments of the garland hanger 10may be provided and/or modified for use with varying types of doorways,and FIGS. 21-27 provide a larger view of these illustrated uses. Thus, aconfiguration of a garland hanger 10 may be used to decorate asingle-door doorway (upper left depiction of FIG. 19, also depicted inFIG. 21). In this configuration, the garland hanger 10 has a shorter(compared with other versions discussed later) central support member 12that may fit, for example, approximately thirty-two-inch door openingsto approximately thirty-eight-inch door openings, or approximatelythirty-four-inch door openings to approximately forty-one-inch dooropenings (although versions may be provided for other ranges of dooropenings, of course). This configuration includes standard lateralextension members 16, although the user might opt to replace one or bothlateral extension members 16 with longer lateral extension members 50for functional or decorative purposes.

A modified configuration may be used with a doorway having a single doorwith a left sidelight (upper central depiction of FIG. 19, also depictedin FIG. 22), or a doorway having a single door with a right sidelight(upper right depiction of FIG. 19, also depicted in FIG. 23). In eitherof these configurations, the central support member 12 is similar tothat discussed with respect to the configuration of FIG. 21, but one ofthe standard lateral extension members 16 (i.e. the one on the side withthe sidelight) is replaced with the longer lateral extension member 50,allowing enhanced decoration options around the sidelight.

A different configuration may be used with a doorway having a singledoor with sidelights on both sides (middle left depiction of FIG. 19,also depicted in FIG. 24). In this configuration, both standard lateralextensions 16 are replaced with longer lateral extension members 50allowing enhanced decoration options on both sides of the doorway andaround both sidelights.

If the doorway has a transom and/or a wider outer frame that permits thefrictional members 14 to engage frame elements larger than just a singledoor (middle right depiction of FIG. 19, also depicted in FIG. 25), adifferent garland hanger 10 having a longer central support member 12than the previous examples may be used. In this configuration, bothstandard lateral extension members 16 are used, and the longer centralsupport member 12 positions the standard lateral extension members 16adjacent the outer portion of the transom. Of course, one or both of thestandard lateral extension members 16 may be optionally replaced by thelonger lateral extension members 50 if desired.

In embodiments or configurations where the space to be spanned by thegarland hanger 10 is larger and the garland hanger 10 has a longercentral support member 12, it will be appreciated that it is possible toincorporate a larger range of adjustment for the garland hanger widthinto at least some embodiments. For example, as the central supportmember 12 is lengthened, the outer tubular member 38 and inner tubularmember 40 can each be lengthened. As these members are lengthened, thetotal length available for size adjustment features potentiallyincreases, and can be used to incorporate a larger adjustment range.Alternatively, a smaller adjustment range may be maintained to reduceunwanted motion of the garland hanger 10 while in place. In any event,the configuration shown in FIG. 25 may have, for example, an adjustmentsize range of between approximately forty-eight inches and approximatelysixty inches.

Configurations may of course be provided for even larger doorways, suchas a doorway having double doors (such as the bottom left depiction ofFIG. 19, also depicted in FIG. 26). This configuration may have anadjustment size range of between approximately sixty-four toapproximately seventy-two or approximately seventy-four inches, againusing a longer central support member 12. This configuration is largelysimilar to the configuration for a doorway having double doors withsidelights on both sides (as in the bottom right depiction of FIG. 19,also depicted in FIG. 27). The difference between the two configurationsis the optional replacement of the standard lateral extension members 16with the longer lateral extension members 50 in conjunction with thepresence of sidelights. Of course, those of skill in the art willreadily appreciate that other configurations and embodiments of thegarland hanger 10 may be used for other doorway configurations notspecifically depicted here.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

1. A garland hanger to be used for hanging garlands and other similardecorations around a doorway without damaging or marring a door of thedoorway, a surrounding doorway frame, jambs of the doorway, or a portionof a building around the doorway, the garland hanger comprising: ahinged central support member; a pair of lateral extension membersconnected to the central support member and configured to extend beyondthe jambs of the doorway; and frictional members connected to thecentral support member whereby an outwardly-directed force is applied tothe jambs by the frictional members when the garland hanger is locatedin the doorway, whereby a frictional surface of the frictional membersholds the garland hanger in the doorway without damaging the door or thejambs.
 2. A garland hanger as recited in claim 1, further comprising acentral decorative support proximate a hinge of the central supportmember and configured to centrally support the garland or other similardecorations above the doorway.
 3. A garland hanger as recited in claim1, wherein a hinge of the central support member permits the centralsupport member to bend at the hinge to facilitate placement of thegarland hanger in the doorway.
 4. A garland hanger as recited in claim3, wherein the central hinge comprises a removable hinge pin thatfacilitates disassembly of the garland hanger for storage purposes.
 5. Agarland hanger as recited in claim 5, wherein the central hinge includesa securing element that prevents unwanted movement of the hinge, therebyallowing the garland hanger to be selectively locked in an extendedposition.
 6. A garland hanger as recited in claim 1, wherein thefrictional members comprise a compressible element that can becompressed to fit the garland hanger in the doorway.
 7. A garland hangeras recited in claim 1, wherein the lateral extension member isremovable.
 8. A garland hanger as recited in claim 7, wherein thegarland hanger comprises a plurality of interchangeable lateralextension members of different sizes to permit the garland hanger to beused with a larger plurality of doorway configurations.
 9. A garlandhanger as recited in claim 1, wherein the central support membercomprises an outer tubular member and an inner tubular member nested inthe outer tubular member, whereby the garland hanger can be sized to fitdifferent sizes of doorways by sliding the inner tubular member in andout of the outer tubular member to a plurality of different positions.10. A garland hanger as recited in claim 9, wherein the inner tubularmember comprises a series of offset holes configured to provide varioussizes to the garland hanger for different doorway widths.
 11. A garlandhanger as recited in claim 1, wherein the central support member and thelateral extension members comprise a material selected from the groupconsisting of: rod iron; wrought iron; tubular aluminum; tubular steel;tubular plastic; and solid plastic.
 12. A garland hanger to be used forhanging garlands and other similar decorations around a doorway withoutdamaging or marring a door of the doorway, a surrounding doorway frame,jambs of the doorway, or a portion of a building around the doorway, thegarland hanger comprising: a central support member comprising an outertubular member and an inner tubular member nested in the outer tubularmember, whereby the garland hanger can be sized to fit different sizesof doorways by sliding the inner tubular member in and out of the outertubular member to a plurality of different positions; a lateralextension member connected to the central support member and configuredto extend beyond a jamb of the doorway to support a garland or otherdecoration along a side of the doorway; a central decorative supportmember located along the central support member so as to be supportiveof the garland or other similar decorations above the doorway when thegarland hanger is located within the doorway; and frictional membersconnected to the central support member whereby an outwardly-directedforce is applied to the jambs by the frictional members when thefrictional members are placed against the jambs, whereby a frictionalsurface of the frictional members holds the garland hanger in thedoorway without damaging the door or the jambs.
 13. A garland hanger asrecited in claim 12, wherein a portion of the central support member issubstantially co-linear with a doorway-contacting portion of thefrictional members.
 14. A garland hanger as recited in claim 12, whereinthe central support member is hinged.
 15. A garland hanger as recited inclaim 12, wherein the inner tubular member comprises a series of offsetholes configured to provide various sizes to the garland hanger fordifferent doorway widths.
 16. A garland hanger as recited in claim 15,wherein the inner tubular member is configured to be secured to theouter tubular member at a plurality of longitudinal locations.
 17. Agarland hanger to be used for hanging garlands and other similardecorations around a doorway without damaging or marring a door of thedoorway, a surrounding doorway frame, jambs of the doorway, or a portionof a building around the doorway, the garland hanger comprising: acentral support member having a central hinge thereon; a pair of lateralextension members connected to the central support member and configuredto extend laterally beyond the jambs of the doorway; a centraldecorative support member located along the central support memberproximate the central hinge so as to be supportive of the garland orother similar decorations above the doorway when the garland hanger islocated within the doorway; and a pair of brackets attached to thecentral support member, wherein each bracket comprises a compressiveelement to provide an outward force to frictional pads attached theretoupon application of a compressive force to the compressive element. 18.A garland hanger as recited in claim 17, wherein the central supportmember comprises a pair of outer tubular members and a pair of innertubular members nested in the outer tubular members, whereby the garlandhanger can be sized to fit different sizes of doorways by sliding theinner tubular members in and out of the outer tubular members to aplurality of different longitudinal positions.
 19. A garland hanger asrecited in claim 17, wherein the central support member and the lateralextension members are manufactured from a decorative material.
 20. Agarland hanger as recited in claim 17, wherein a hinge of the centralsupport member permits the central support member to bend at the hingeto facilitate placement of the garland hanger in the doorway.